Humidifying and filtering device for internal-combustion engines



prfll 22 1924 E. E. LA ROSE.

HUMIDIFYING AND FILTERING DEVICE FORA INTERNAL coMUsTION ENGINES A 5M mma/rc1 22d H036 Filed March 25.

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llatented Apr. 22, i924.

` EUGENE E. LA. ROSE, ,OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK.

numrmrYrNo AND Firmante envien ron iNTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES..

Application filed March 25, 19.22, Serial No. 546,920.

To all whom t 'may concern:

Beit known that I, EUGENE E. LA ROSE, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in H11- midifying and Filtering Devices for lnter- 1 nal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is .ai-specification, reference being had `to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements inihumidifying and filtering devices for internal combustion engines, and it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this general character having novel and improved means whereby the humiditying element is maintained saturated both by capillary attraction and seepage. Another object ofthe invention is to provide a novel and improved device of 'this general character consisting of ya humiditying element having its opposite end portions disposed'iwithin 'supply chambers to maintain said element at proper moisture, together with means for maintaining a 'desired supply of liquid within said chambers.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a noveliand improved -device of this general character consisting of a pair of spacedcontainersl and a humid'iying element interposed between said containers` and extending therein and wherein means is employed to maintain .a desired supply of liquid within the containers, said -means being operated by the rise and fall" oi the liquid level in one of the containers.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in theA combinationv and arrangement ot the several parts of my improved hum`idifying and filtering device 'or internal combustion engines whereby certain important'advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and yadvantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be delinitely claimed. i In order that my inventionmay be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same-with' reference to the ac-l partly in elevation illustratingI a humidity'-4 ing and filtering device constructed in action; and

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Figure l.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, l denotes a bottom plate provided with cordance with an embodiment of my invenmeans'such as a lug or lip 2 whereby the.

device in itsY entiret may be suitably secured in operative or working position. The bottom plate l is provided with a central opening'S through which-extends a tube 4, said tubeextending upwardly through the' bottom 5 of a cup member 6', mounted upon the bottom plate 1, said tube 4' telescopically fitting within an inwardly extending cylindrical portion 4" at the center of the cup, the parts 4-'-4f cooperating to form an outlet tube projecting within'the enclosed central compartment of the casing and terminating above the upper peripheral edge of the cup member 6." The major diameter of the cup member 6 is less than the major diameter ot' the bottom plate 1.

Extending upwardly from the peripheral portion of the bottom plate l is a filtering element' F. This element Fy is of desired height and supports a cover member 7. The cover member 7 also closes an annular chamber 8. The filtering element F constitutes the outer side wall of the device and operates as a dry filter to separate from the air entering within the device, dust, oil and other. foreign matter.

Supported within the cup member 6 is a hmnidiiying element H. As yherein disclosed, this element H is arranged in spiral form and the upper edge portion of said humidifying element extends through the bottom 9 into the chamber 8. Arranged within the lower portion of the chamber 8 is a packing l0 of sponge, felt or other absorbent material so that, when said packing is'Saturated with water, the chamber 8 is effectively sealed against air entering therein from the outside.

Extending within the device through the central opening deiined by the chamber or container 8 is a tube ll, the inserted end p0rtion .of said tube being provided therearound with circumferentially spaced slots l2, said slots being disposed lengthwise of the tube ll and gradually increasing in width from the top .towards the bottom to -provide an opening of the minimum area at the top and maximum area at the bottom.

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Since the principal source of moisture for the humidifying element H in the water contained inthe cup 6 and the degree of saturation of the severalsuperposed portions of said element normally decreases towards the top thereof, the wider portions of the slots '12 are disposed opposite the wetter parts of the humidifyingelement so as to permit an increased flow of air through these wetter partsv and the decreasein the width of the slots therefore serves as aregulating means governing the mois'tening of the air passing through the device. These slots 12 assure the desired substantially uniform saturating or humidifying of the air drawn within the device and passing'outwardly through either lor both of the outlet tubes 4-4 and 11.

The outer end portions of the tubes f1 and 11 have secured thereto the elbowspl. which are adapted to communicate with the primary and secondary openingsof a carbureter and in the event the device is employed in'connection with only one of said openings, the non-functioning elbow is closed by a cap or the like (not shown).

One of the elbows 14, preferably'the upperone,is provided withan opening 15 which is normally'closed by the balanced valve 16.

The valve 16 may `be adjusted so that the' .same will open upon predetermined pressure within the Adevice to relieve any kresistance ofl'ered'tothe air should the device become congested from any cause..

Extending within the chamber or container 8 through the bottomthereof'is a pipe 17 open at itsopposite ends and ot' a lengt-h to terminate within the cup member 6. The

'upperend of the pipe 17 terminates a desired distance above the bottom of the chamber or container 8 andfsa-id upper end portion is bell-shaped. Y

18 denotes a supply pipe leading from a suitable source. of water supply and disv saturate the humidifying element H .by caplillary. attraction and the upper portion of said humidifying element will be further maintained properly moistened by the seepage of the water from within .the chamber or container Y 8" and downwardly of the element H. y

The ipe 18 preferably leads from a closed tank so that in the event the valve 20 should fail toclose from any. cause, the Water in the cup member 6 will seal the pipe Maasai 17 as the level of the water within the member 6 rises above the lower or discharge' end of said pipe 17. lt is to be understood, however,v that the tank T can be of open type but the closed type of tank is preferred for the reasons just stated.

From the .foregoing description it is .thought to be obvious that a humidifying and filtering device for internal combustion engines constructed in accordance with my inventionis particularly well adapted for `use by reason of the convenience and facility 1.a. humidifying and. altering device 'e comp-rising a casing having a perforated wall, a containeravithin thelower portion of said casing, a closed chamber in the upper portion of said casing, ahumidifying element bridging the space between said container and chamber extending within both the containervand chamber and forming a central compartment, means for delivering a liquid wit-hin the chamber, means for discharging the liquid from the chamber into the container,'and an outlet tube extending within said compartment and leading from said compartment.

2. A humidifying and iiltering device comprising a casinghaving a perforated peripheral wall, a container within the lower portion of said casing, a closed chamber in theupper portion of said casing, a humidifying element bridging the space between said container and chamber extending within both the container and chamber and f orming an enclosed central compartment, an voutlet tube.,extending within'andleading from said compartment, means for deliveringa liquid within-the chamber, means for discharging the liquidfrom. the chamber into the container, and means operable upon the rise and fall. of the liquid level within the container for controlling. the' delivery of liquid to the chamber.

3. A humidifying and filtering device comprising a perforated casing, a container within the bottom of the casing, a closed chamber in the upper portion of the casing, a lnunidifying element interposed between the container and the chamber extending into both the said container and chamberv and enclosing a central compartment,v an

outlet tube leading from said compartment,

means for .deliverying liquid to the chamber, a pipe extending within the chamber and discharging to the container, the opposite ends al? said p-ipe being open, a valve for controlling the discharge of liquid to the chamber, and a float responsive to the level of the liquidwithin the 'container for actuating the said valve.

4. A humidifying and filtering Idevice comprising a perforated casing, a container within the bottom of the casing, a -closed chamber in the upper portion of the casing,

a humidifying element interposed between closed position, said valve moving under the the container and the chamber and extending into both said container and chamber,

-means A for delivering liquid within the influence of gravity into open position upon the fall of the float with the lowering, of the liquid level within the container.

5. A humidifying and filtering device comprising a casing-having a perforated lwall serving as an inlet, a container within .the lower portion of said casing, a closed liquid-receiving chamber inthe upper portion of said casing, a humidifying element bridging the space between said container and chamber extending'into both'v the cn- .tainer and chamber and enclosing a central outlet compartment and through which humidiying element all air entering the device must pass to reach said compartment and means for delivering liquid to both sai chamber and said container.

6. A humidifyi'ng and filtering` device comp-rising a casing having a perforated wall serving as an inlet, a container within the bottom of the casing, a closed liquid-eA receiving chamber in the upper portion of the caslng, a humidifyin'g, element interposed tbetween the container and chamber extending into both said container and chamber and enclosing a central outlet compartment and through which humidifying element all'v air entering the device .must pass to reach the said oompartment,'means for delivering liquid to the chamber, an open ended pipe extending within the cham.- berl and discharging within the container, a valve for controlling the discharge of liquid into the chamber, and means responsive to the level of the liquid Within the container for actuating the said valve.

7. A humidifying and filtering device ,comprising a casing' having a perforated wall serving as an inlet, a container within the lower'portion of said casing, a closed liquid receiving chamber in the upper portion of said casing, a humidifying element extending within both the` container and chamber Y bridging the space between, the

; same and enclosing a central outlet compartment and through which humidiying element all air entering the device must pa to reach saidcompartment, means for delivering a liquid tothe chamber, and an open conduit-depending from the chamber Y ,into the said container.

8. A humidifying'v and .filtering device comprising a casing having a perforated peripheral wall serving as an inlet, a container within the lower portion of said casing, a closed liquid-receiving chamber in the upper portion of said casing, a humidifying element extending within both the container and ehamberbridgingfthe space between the same and enclosing a central outlet compartment and through which humidifying element all air entering the device must pass to reach said compartment, a pipe delivering liqpid to the chamber, an open conduit esta lishing communication between the chamber and container and extendingwithin the container, and means responsive to the level of the liquid within-the container for controlling the flow of liquid through the said pipe. v In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. v 

